Sumo grand champions Hakuho, Harumafuji and Kakuryu performed a foot-stomping ritual at Meiji Jingu shrine in Tokyo on Thursday. The the first tournament of the year starts Sunday in Tokyo.

The ritual, known as dezuiri, first took place at the shrine in 1922 as an offering to the gods by the wrestlers. Grand champions, or yokozuna, now perform it twice a year, once in early January and once in the fall. The foot-stomping at the shrine is also performed when a wrestler is named yokozuna.